MAINE PEOPLE AGREE
OPPORTUNITY IS THE
BRIDGE TO A BETTER FUTURE
What we learned about poverty from
Maine people in the summer of 2014
October 2, 2014
Prepared for:
Washington, DC
PLANNING
DECISIONS
Research & Planning
PO BOX 168
HALLOWELL, ME 04347
CONTENTS
Executive Summary ............................................................................. 1
Introduction ......................................................................................... 2
What Causes Poverty? It’s the Economy, stupid!” .........................
3
The Economy is Out of Balance ....................................................... 4
Communities on the Edge ................................................................ 5
Building Bridges: to Ecomonic Opportunity .................................... 6
Building Bridges: Increase Incomes ................................................ 7
Building Bridges: Maine’s Employment Base .................................. 8
Building Bridges: Affordable Child Care ........................................ 9
Building Bridges: Higher Education ................................................ 10
Building Bridges: Invest in Pre-School ............................................. 11
Building Bridges: Affordable Housing ............................................. 12
Building Bridges:Affordable Health Care ...................................... 13
Building Bridges: Healthy Local Food ............................................ 14
Changing the Conversation ........................................................... 15
Acknowledgements ........................................................................ 16
References .......................................................................................
17
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
In the summer of 2014, Maine Equal Justice Partners and the Every
Child Matters Education Fund went directly to Maine people to ask for their thoughts
about poverty. They utilized two different approaches to test the opinions of Maine
people across the State. The first was a scientific telephone survey of 478 likely Maine
voters conducted from July 12 to July 16, 2014 by the Maine People’s Resource Center.
The second was a written survey completed by 941 Maine residents with low income
over the age of 18, designed and analyzed by Professor Sandra Butler of the School of
Social Work at the University of Maine.
Both groups were asked similar questions about the causes of poverty and the best
strategies to reduce poverty. The two groups – those who may have only read about
poverty and others who are experiencing its effects daily –shared strikingly similar
ideas about poverty. Both groups agreed that the primary cause of poverty is Maine’s
under-performing economy, and that the best strategies to reduce poverty involve
building bridges to opportunity.
The agreement on these basic principles extended beyond the general public and
those with low incomes. It even included a remarkable level of agreement between
conservatives and liberals, men and women, and people of all ages within the general
public.
By large margins Maine people support solutions to poverty that include raising the
minimum wage; expanding access to affordable health care, higher education and child
care; promoting tax credits for working families; and reducing Maine’s unacceptably
high rate of hunger.
By a strong margin Mainers agree that the emphasis of any reforms should be on
expanding opportunity, not punishing people. When it comes to the harsh rhetoric
that blames people with low income for their circumstances, Mainers are distinctly
uneasy. Instead Maine people are interested in having a constructive, solution-based
conversation about poverty. They want to change the conversation, and focus on how
to build bridges to opportunity. They are interested in solutions, not accusations.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
1
INTRODUCTION
In the summer of 2014, Maine Equal Justice Partners and the Every
Child Matters Education Fund decided to ask Maine people directly about their thoughts
about how to reduce poverty in our State. They utilized two different approaches to test
the opinions of Maine people across the State. The first was a scientific telephone survey
of 478 likely Maine voters conducted from July 12 to July 16, 2014 by the Maine People’s
Resource Center.1 The second was a paper and online survey completed by 941 Maine
adults (over age 18) with incomes below 200% of the poverty level. The survey was
designed and analyzed by Professor Sandra Butler of the School of Social Work at the
University of Maine.2
Both groups were asked similar questions about the causes of poverty and the best
solutions. The level of agreement between the two groups – one of which has mostly
only heard about poverty, the other which is experiencing poverty in their lives -- may
come as a surprise.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
2
What Causes Poverty?
“It’s the Economy, stupid!”
What does the general public believe?
Agree that inadequate economic
performance is the primary cause of poverty
Maine people understand that poverty is the result of
a lack of opportunity and the economy as a whole.
Three of four (75%) Maine voters think that the “primary”
cause of poverty is that “the economy is failing to
produce enough jobs that pay decent wages.” The
same overwhelming result was found across the political
spectrum, whether the voter self-identified as very
conservative, very liberal or somewhere in between.
It also held true across gender lines and all income ranges.
General Public
Mainers with low income
What do Mainers with low income believe?
The vast majority of people with low income agree. Seven out of eight (87%) people with low income believe that
most people are poor because of society-wide economic trends -– “their jobs don’t pay enough, they lack good
health care and education, and things cost too much for them to save and move ahead.” Overwhelmingly they
rejected the premise that “most people who live in poverty are poor because they make bad decisions or act
irresponsibly in their own lives.”
Two View of Why People Live in Poverty
Mainers with
low incomes
General public
87%
This is not surprising. These respondents are living
in the midst of a recession that hasn’t ended
for them or their friends. From 2010 to 2013, the
median wage fell in Maine.3 Maine ranked
49th among the 50 states and the District of
Columbia in job growth between January 2011
60%
and February 2014.4 As of that date, Maine as a
13%
whole had gained back only half of the jobs lost
in the recession. While nearly 3 out of 4 of the
working age, non-disabled households surveyed
Lack of jobs, income,
Bad decisions and
included at least one adult member with a job,
health care, education
irresponsible behavior
many described a harsh labor market with few or
no options in their area. When asked to write in their top solutions to poverty the top two responses were “more
jobs” and “higher wages.”
32%
So though the national economy has technically been in a recovery since 2009, the number of people under
poverty in Maine continues to rise. From 2010 to 2013, those under poverty in Maine increased by 8%, or 13,400
people. From the point of view of someone living in poverty it is obvious why poverty is growing. “It’s the economy,
stupid,” as one political advisor famously said.
When asked to choose between two different views of why people live in poverty both the general public and
people with low income agreed, responding by nearly a 2-1 margin that the structural problems of the economy
are the major cause.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
3
The Economy is Out of Balance
More people are working… BUT
more of those workers are living in poverty
Respondents agreed that part of the cause of poverty is that the economy is “failing to produce enough
jobs…” But that’s not all. The rest of that sentence is equally important – “…
”
Here’s why.
In the last three years, wages from
jobs have been mostly stagnant –
Average Real Wage by Income Group, Maine
(2010 dollars) Source: Economic Policy Institute
increasing slightly only for the well-off
(top 10%), declining slightly for median
$40
and low-wage workers (50% and 10%
Top 10%
$35
levels). But with inflation in New England
Median
growing at roughly 2% a year, this means
$30
that real incomes are going down even
Bottom 10%
$25
for the best-paid workers (3% less), but
$20
especially for the worst-paid (down 8%
for the lowest paid workers).
$15
Hourly Wage
that pay decent wages.
$10
$5
$2010
2011
2012
2013
This leads to a paradox. Even though the
number of people employed grew in Maine
from 2010 to 2013, the number of people who
were employed, but still lived under poverty,
grew much faster. For example, the number
of people working full-time but living under
poverty grew by 11%. The number of part-time
workers living under poverty grew by 13%.
Increase in Poverty Level Among Mainers 2010 - 2013
by Work Experience in the Last 12 months
(ACS)
11%
13%
12%
The cost of living is very high
and it is difficult to make a living
and care for a family even
when both parents are working.
Something must be done.
Mother of 2 living in Cumberland County
Percent Under Poverty in Maine & New England
Maine
New England
(ACS)
25%
20%
15%
20.4%
17%
14%
17.9%
15.4%
11.5%
10%
5%
Worked
full-time
Worked
part-time
Didn’t work
0%
All people
All children
All children < 5
Moreover, the percent of all Mainers living in poverty continues to be considerably higher than it is for our
New England neighbors. It is particularly troubling that 1 out of 5 children under the age of 5 in Maine are
living in poverty.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
4
Communities on the Edge
Poverty throws people’s lives out of balance,
often with harsh consequences
In Maine, one in four households living below the poverty level moves each year (compared to one in nine
households above poverty in Maine). Children who move frequently over the course of the school year lose
consistency in their education, and fall behind their peers. Families who move frequently lose the support of
neighbors and friends. Housing instability also makes it hard to hold a job.
While housing puts the biggest dent in the
pocketbooks of families with low income, it is
not the only pressure point. The consequences
of the financial pressures they face are
shown in the experiences reported by the 941
low-income Maine survey respondents. Two
in three had to go to a food pantry or soup
kitchen; half didn’t make enough to pay utility
bills; a third had their car break down with no
money to fix it; and a quarter had to move
for financial reasons. Hunger is ever present
among these families with 60% responding
that they had to skip meals or cut the size of
meals because there was not enough money
for food.
The hardships experienced by certain groups
deserve particular attention.
Single parents with low incomes had even more
frequent problems with forced moves, utility bills,
cars, and meals.
Seniors with low incomes had trouble getting
enough to eat. Half (48.7%) had to use a food
pantry; over a third (38%) had to cut back on the
size of meals.
Families with veterans and low incomes also had
trouble getting enough to eat. Nearly two-thirds
had to use a food pantry (62.7%), and half (52.5%)
had to cut back on meals. In addition, one in five
(20.0%) had to move for financial reasons, and
almost half (45.9%) couldn’t pay a utility bill.
I should not live in poverty –
my husband was in the military
AF for 23 years.
85 year old woman who is unable to
pay the bills living in Lincoln County
In order for poor children to get
a good education they need
stable homes with enough food
and good care.
70 year old woman living in Lincoln County
Experiences of Hardship Among
Mainers with Low Income
in the Last 12 months
Had to go to food
pantry or soup kitchen
63%
60%
Went without food
Fell behind on
electric or heating bills
46%
Couldn’t pay full
mortgage or rent
Car broke down and didn’t
have money to fix it
Paid half of monthly
income for housing
Had to move out due to
inability to afford housing
38%
36%
30%
24%
Experience of hardship for single parents
with low income compared to all
survey respondents with low income
46%
Couldn’t pay
utility bill
Car broke down
and no money
to fix it
36%
64%
59%
60%
Had to reduce
size of meals
Forced to move due
to housing costs
All
Single parents
74%
23%
31%
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
5
BUILDING BRIDGES
TO ECONOMIC
OPPORTUNITY
The majority of Mainers have a shared
understanding of the causes of poverty. For this
reason, they also have a shared understanding
of how to reduce it.
“... in order to really “reform” welfare we need
to create more opportunities for families to leave
poverty instead of taking help away regardless of their
circumstances...” General Public
By a strong margin, Mainers agree that the
emphasis of reforms should be on expanding
opportunity, not punishing people. Almost
two-thirds (65.4%) of Mainers think that the way
to really “reform” welfare is to focus on creating
opportunities and pathways for families to leave
poverty, rather than spending time on punitive
measures.
The following pages highlight multiple strategies
broadly supported by Maine people that
can reduce the unacceptable levels of stress,
financial instability and insecurity in the lives of
people living in poverty—and increase their
opportunity to leave poverty behind for good.
65%
26%
9%
Agree
Disagree
Not sure
Building Bridges: Increase Incomes
page 7
Building Bridges: Affordable Child Care
page 9
Building Bridges: Higher Education
page 10
Building Bridges: Invest in Pre-School
page 11
Building Bridges: Affordable Housing
page 12
Building Bridges: Affordable Health Care
page 13
Building Bridges: Healthy Local Food
page 14
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
6
Building Bridges
Increase Incomes
Raise the Minium Wage
People with low incomes know what it is like to work full-time
but continue to fall behind economically, because they
are living that reality right now. Six out of seven respondents
with low incomes (86%) would raise the minimum wage,
with many commenting that it should become more of a
‘living wage”.5
Support for raising the minimum wage is almost equally
strong among the general electorate. Seven of ten (70%)
Maine voters think that increasing the minimum wage
would be effective in reducing poverty. This proposition
is supported by a majority of Maine people regardless of
party affiliation.
Agree on the Effectiveness of
Two Ways to Reduce Poverty
86%
70%
Raise Minimum Wage
Mainers with
low incomes
General public
82%
78%
Increase Tax Credits
We need to make the minimum wage a livable wage. I would like to see a
livable wage for those of us who work at $7.50 or $8.00 an hour.
57 year old survey respondent living in Cumberland County
Bring Maine’s Earned Income Tax Credit in line with other states
The earned income tax credit (EITC) is a credit provided to low and moderate income workers. At the federal
level, the credit is “refundable” – in other words, you get money back if the taxes you have paid don’t cover
it. Maine is one of 25 states that have its own EITC, but its design reduces the impact. In Maine, the credit is
“non-refundable” – you cannot get back more than you have paid in.
At the national level, the program is liked by conservatives and liberals alike. Rep. Paul Ryan says that “it helps
families take ownership of their lives.” Stephen Moore of the Heritage Foundation calls it an “efficient poverty
abatement program.” Glenn Hubbard, President George W. Bush’s former economic adviser, says that it
“promotes work as it reduces poverty.”6 The National Bureau of Economic Research estimates that “Overall…the
credit lifted just under 4.0 million people above the poverty line, reducing the overall poverty rate by 10% and the
poverty rate among children by 16%.”7
There is significant room to improve Maine’s EITC, and in so doing to reduce poverty. Not only is Maine one of only
4 states in which the credit is non-refundable, but it also is set at one of the smallest rates in the nation. It equals
only 5% of the federal refund. According to Joel Johnson of the Maine Center for Economic Policy, “Maine’s EITC
will provide a total of $937,000 in tax relief to 18,000 low- and moderate-income Mainers this year. That’s about
$52, on average, for the families that benefit from it.”8
Naturally, survey respondents with low incomes are enthusiastic about the idea of increasing the EITC. Four in five
(82%) think it would be an effective strategy to reduce poverty. So do Maine voters. Responding in roughly the
same proportion (78%), they too thought that increasing “tax credits for working families” would be an effective
poverty reduction strategy.
As at the national level, here in Maine this is a strategy that draws strong support—over 70%--from Maine people
regardless of political affiliation.
RECENT MAINE
HISTORY
A bill that would have increased Maine’s minimum wage from $7.50 to $9 an
hour over three years and then indexed it to inflation thereafter was vetoed
by the Governor in 2013. The legislature failed to override the veto.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
7
Build Maine’s Employment Base
Finally, to get higher incomes, Maine needs to create more and better-paying jobs. The best means to do this
are the subject of debate among experts in the state. But there is one strategy that would add 4,000 jobs to the
economy by 2016 that is well worth considering. These 4,000 jobs would reduce Maine’s unemployment rate
by 0.6%, from 5.5% to 4.9%.9 These jobs would boost the economies of many of Maine’s most rural counties and
provide jobs and wages for a great many in areas that badly need them. That simple economic strategy is for
Maine to accept federal funds to expand the MaineCare program. The chart below shows the job impact that
this one action would have across all counties of Maine.
Aroostook
280
Piscataquis
60
Somerset
210
Penobscot
550
Franklin
120
Oxford
Androscoggin
230
380
Washington
150
Kennebec
370
Waldo
160
850
130
York
510
Sagadahoc
30
210
Knox
Lincoln
Cumberland
Hancock
160
Number of jobs that would
be created by county
http://www.mecep.org/view.asp?news=2460
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
8
BUILDING BRIDGES
AFFORDABLE
CHILD CARE
By wide margins, both respondents with low incomes and the general public agree that affordable child care for
working parents is an effective strategy to reduce poverty. This makes sense and is supported by economists and
neuroscientists as well.10 In order for parents to work and make a living, affordable care for their young children
must be available.
There are an estimated 55,000 children in Maine under the age of 6 in families with working parents.11 In the latest
year for which data is available (2007), an estimated 22,000 were in child care.12 In 2013, child care for infants at a
Maine center cost as much as $9,360 a year. Full-time care for children in a home-based child care setting costs
somewhat less, but is still unaffordable without subsidies for low wage, working families.13
Beyond affordability there is also a large gap between supply and demand for child care for working parents.
There are only about 2,000 licensed providers of child care in Maine. Of these 701 are in centers, 84 are in nursery
schools, and 1,223 are in family homes.
But the challenge is not only quantity. It is also quality. These problems were highlighted in January of 2014, when
a day care center in Lyman closed after it was disclosed that the state had sanctioned it for incidents of child
abuse. Maine ranks 47th out of the 50 states for its child care oversight program, according to the national group
Child Care Aware.14 To feel secure at work, parents need to be sure that their children are safe in care.
Agree on the Effectiveness of
Making Child Care More Affordable
as a Strategy to Reduce Poverty
89%
Mainers with low income
RECENT MAINE
HISTORY
79%
General public
In 2012, Maine’s subsidized child care program that allows low-income
parents to work or pursue their education was cut by $1.9 million of state
funds, which after the loss of federal matching funds is factored in, was a
total program cut of $5 million.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
9
HIGHER
BUILDING BRIDGES
EDUCATION
One of the most proven pathways to opportunity
is education. A Maine adult with a college degree
can be expected to earn twice the income of a
Maine adult who has not graduated from high
school.
This fact is well-understood by Maine people, both
those with low incomes and the general public.
Around 4 in 5 of both groups think that increasing
access to college would help reduce poverty.
Mainers with low income
American Community Survey, 2008-2012
Graduate or
professional degree
Some college or
associate’s degree
Less than
high school graduate
78%
General public
$53,463
Bachelor’s degree
High school graduate
(includes equivalency)
Agree on the Effectiveness of
Access to Higher Education as a
Strategy to Reduce Poverty
88%
Median Income by Education Achievement
Age 25 and older, Maine
$41,679
$30,880
$26,437
$20,439
Creating bridges to higher education for adults
with low income not only produces benefits for
adult participants, it also benefits their children far
into the future. Today, nearly a quarter of college
students are parents, and more than 1 in 8 students
are single parents.15 Research shows that when
mothers with low-education complete additional
education, their children’s language and reading
skills improve.16
Parents as Scholars (PaS) is a wonderful program
that enables individuals an opportunity to be
self-supporting. I have seen it happen. I am a PaS
graduate. And for the last seven years I have had
NO government assistance.
Single mom living in Androscoggin County
RECENT MAINE
HISTORY
Although Maine’s nationally-acclaimed Parents As Scholars has had
documented success in helping people with low income to get a college
degree and improve their lives, enrollment has dropped by 28% since 2010
due to changing Department of Health and Human Services priorities.
Last year, in fact, the Administration presented a bill to eliminate the program,
but it was defeated in the Legislature.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
10
In January of 2012, the Maine State Chamber
of Commerce and the Maine Development
Foundation released the third in their series
of reports entitled Making Maine Work. This
report was subtitled Investment in Young
Children = Real Economic Development.
The major finding of the report is in the box to
the right. The greatest chance of providing
for the future educational success of young
children is through investments early in life.
School Readiness Assessments of Maine
Head Start Children Who Entered
Kindergarten in Fall 2012
100%
95%
90%
89%
90%
90%
89%
86%
INVEST IN
PRE-SCHOOL
The major findings of Making Maine Work: Investment in Young Children
Real Economic Development include:
The foundation for a strong workforce begins at birth - not at age 18 or 22.
Approximately 85% of the core brain structure is formed by the age of 3.
Our return on investment is greatest when we start at birth (Figure 1).
FIGURE 1: Rate of Return Human Capital
Rate of return to investment in human capital
BUILDING BRIDGES
Preschool programs
Schooling
Job training
Preschool
School
Post school
Age
80%
70%
60%
50%
57%
48%
43%
40%
47%
45%
38%
30%
20%
Agree on the Effectiveness of
Pre-school Education in Reducing Poverty
10%
0%
Research conducted by the Maine Children’s Alliance shows
that children in Maine Head Start programs nearly double their
readiness to start kindergarten after one year in the program
(see chart to left).17
Language
Development
Literacy
Knowledge
& Skills
Mathematics
Percent showing readiness at beginning
of Head Start Year, Fall 2011
Aproaches
to Learning
Social &
Emotional
Development
Physical
Health &
Development
Percent showing readiness at end
of Head Start year, Spring 2012
Mainers with
low incomes
General public
100%
80%
These facts apparently are well-understood
by Maine people. At least 3 in 4 of both
groups agree that pre-school education is an
effective strategy to reduce poverty.
RECENT MAINE
HISTORY
60%
40%
20%
84%
Increase access
to Head Start
75%
Give more children a
chance to go to the
Head Start program &
pre-kindergarten
In 2012, the Governor and Legislature reduced Head Start funding by
$2 million. The Legislature restored $1.3 million in 2014.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
11
BUILDING BRIDGES
AFFORDABLE
The major cost burden on low-income households
in Maine is housing. Housing instability is inevitable
when costs are out of line with income.
Among Maine households in the top half of incomes
in Maine, one in ten (10%) pay more than 30% of
their income for housing, and one in a hundred (1%)
pay more than half. But for those earning less than
half of the median income – roughly equal to the
poverty level – 77% are paying more than 30% of
their income for housing, and 44% are paying half or
more of their income for housing.
One indication of this burden on families is spending
in the General Assistance program, which is the
safety net of last resort in Maine. In 2012, 85% of all
expenditures in the program involved housing and
utilities.18
A majority of both Mainers with low incomes and
the general public regard affordable housing as an
effective strategy for reducing poverty.
HOUSING
Distribution of Maine General Assistance
Expenditures in State Fiscal Year 2012
Non-housing
15%
Utilities
7%
Working mom with low income
living in Cumberland County
78%
Agree on the Effectiveness of Accessing and Maintaining
Affordable Housing for Reducing Poverty
92%
73%
General Public
No one is secure without
safe and decent housing.
Without housing getting and
keeping a job is futile. Rent is
sky high and no one making
minimum wage can even
afford an apartment and
that’s fundamentally wrong!
Housing
Mainers with low income
Although most of those burdened with high costs and
frequent moves are renters, there are 59,000 home
owners with incomes below 50% of median (roughly
below $30,000). Of these, 44% are paying over 50%
of their income for housing and housing-related
expenses. A major component of this burden is the
property tax. Among Mainers with low incomes, 83%
support more help with property tax/housing costs for
renters and homeowners.
The question on the effectiveness of help with property tax/housing costs for renters and homeowners as a poverty
reduction strategy was not asked on the general public poll due to space limitations.
RECENT MAINE
HISTORY
In the past, Maine had a “circuit breaker” program that helped many seniors
and others with low income to manage their property tax burdens. In state
fiscal year 2012, 89,000 Maine households benefitted from the program with an
average refund of $479 (maximum $1,600). The program was replaced by the
“Property Tax Fairness Credit,” which as of September of 2014, had benefited
75,000 Maine households with an average benefit of $270.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
12
BUILDING BRIDGES
AFFORDABLE
HEALTH CARE
A strong majority of both residents with low income and the general public agree that expanded access to
affordable health care is an effective strategy to reduce poverty in Maine.
This makes sense, as medical costs are a contributing factor to 62% of bankruptcies.19 Untreated medical problems
are a reason that some low-income people are unable to work.
There is a well-established link between health problems and poverty. For every age group, those with lower
incomes tend to report more health problems, and the difference increases over time until the age group right
before Medicare eligibility.20
Maine was one of only two states in the country to have an increase in the number of uninsured in 2013.
The percentage of Maine people without health insurance in 2013 is 11.2%, up a percentage point since 2012.
Agree on the Effectiveness of Accessing and Maintaining
Affordable Health Care for Reducing Poverty
91%
Mainers with low income
71%
General Public
I’m a survivor of a ruptured
brain aneurysm and two
strokes. My husband died
from bladder cancer. We
were middle class before all
of the health problems.
56 year old woman who can no longer
afford housing, utilities or food month to
month living in Cumberland County
RECENT MAINE
HISTORY
Maine is one of 21 states to refuse to accept federal funds to expand
MaineCare. If we would accept these funds, 70,000 uninsured Maine
people would gain insurance with the federal government picking up
nearly all of the cost.
In addition, recent actions by the Governor and Legislature cut off
40,000 Mainers with low incomes from health insurance.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
13
BUILDING BRIDGES
HEALTHY
LOCAL FOOD
Maine ranks fifth-worst in the country for the proportion of its population (7.1%) who experience “very low food
security.”21 A family is classified as having very low food security if it reports at least 5 of 18 possible food-related
problems, such as not eating for a day because there wasn’t enough for food, skipping meals due to lack of
money, not serving a balanced meal because of money concerns, etc.
Nearly half of all Maine children (46%) were eligible for federally-subsidized school lunches in 2013.
There are currently 226,019 Mainers with low income enrolled in the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance
Program (SNAP).22 These individuals receive an average monthly benefit of $123 or about $1.36 per meal.23
Historically, it has been easier to use SNAP benefits in large grocery stores than in small local stores or farmer’s
markets, because of the technicalities of program participation. However, there have been recent experiments
around the country, including one with Skowhegan farmer Sarah Smith, that have provided SNAP users with
“double value” coupons for shopping with local farmers.
There are efforts underway to expand this kind of opportunity. The Farm Bill enacted by Congress in February
of this year established a new competitive grant for projects like this that provide fruit and vegetable incentives
to participants in the SNAP Program. Different kinds of groups may apply for these grants including farmer’s
markets, non-profit organizations, and health and economic development groups. These organizations must
have the support of the State’s SNAP agency. Maine would do well to encourage participation in this promising
opportunity.
Agree on the Effectiveness of
Supporting the Purchase of Healthy Foods
for People Using SNAP Benefits
as a Strategy to Reduce Poverty
100%
The question on the effectiveness of supporting
the purchase of healthy foods as a poverty
reduction strategy was not asked on the general
public poll due to space limitations.
80%
60%
40%
20%
Mainers with low incomes
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
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Changing the Conversation
This report began by asking the question — what do Mainers believe are the causes of and
solutions to poverty? The survey work makes it clear that Mainers believe that poverty is a result
of an economy that is not performing well, and that the lack of opportunity is the primary cause
of poverty. It also follows that the solutions that people prefer are ones that increase opportunity.
The surveys revealed a remarkable degree of common ground among people with low income
and the general public. Even more surprising, there was agreement on many essential points
between conservatives and liberals, men and women, and people of all ages within the general
public.
Maine people want to change the conversation. They are interested in strategies that increase
opportunity to reduce poverty, not in fixing blame. They are interested in solutions, not accusations.
They are interested in building bridges to opportunity.
Let’s start the dialogue now.
People need affordable
education, affordable housing,
affordable childcare, healthy
affordable food, affordable
healthcare, and jobs that pay
enough to allow them to afford
all of those things.
37 year old survey respondent with low
income living in Androscoggin County
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research project would not have been possible without the help of these skilled and
talented people. We offer our deepest thanks to:
• Sandra Butler, a professor of social work at the University of Maine. Sandy used her skill and
long experience as a researcher to quantify and analyze the results of the survey of
people with low income.
• Preble Street for their invaluable assistance in reaching out at food pantries and soup
kitchens throughout Maine. Preble Street’s efforts allowed hundreds of people with low
income to share their voices in this report.
• Joel Johnson, an economist at the Maine Center for Economic Policy. Joel expertly
directed us toward reliable data sources and provided invaluable assistance in
performing specialized analyses of that data.
• Maine People’s Resource Center provided strong insight and expertise for the polling
of likely Maine voters described in this report.
Planning Decisions Inc. Analysis Maine People Agree: Opportunity is the Bridge to a Better Future
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REFERENCES
1
This poll was conducted with a random sample of approximately 478 likely Maine voters by interactive voice response from July 12th through 16th, 2014. Calls
were made at different times of day to maximize the diversity of possible respondents. Questions were recorded by a female interviewer. The survey results were
mathematically weighted by gender, age and geographic area to ensure an accurate representation of the population being surveyed. The sample was not
weighted by party or ideology. The margin of error of this survey was 5.09%.
2 This was a paper and online survey of adults (age 18 or older) with low income (under 200% of the federal poverty level) in Maine asking them about their current
circumstances and hardships, as well as their attitudes and understanding about poverty. Survey respondents were also asked questions about their support for a
variety of policy initiatives as strategies for reducing poverty, including two open-ended questions that sought additional input from survey respondents on what
they viewed as the best ways policymakers can reduce poverty. This survey was distributed at food pantries and by social service agencies throughout the state
during mid-June of 2014 through mid-July of 2014. Individuals who were willing to complete this two-page survey were given a self-addressed-stamped-envelope
to return the survey. The survey was also disseminated electronically using Survey Monkey. 1014 people responded to the survey; of that number 941 surveys were
used after removing surveys that did not meet the demographic requirements with respect to age and income. Respondents included individuals from all parts
of the state, including all sixteen counties. Researchers compiled and analyzed the results of the survey and Sandra Butler provided the final analysis of the results
and findings.
3 Economic Policy Institute analysis of Current Population Survey data
4 Maine’s Labor Market Recovery, Far From Complete, Joel Johnson and Garrett Martin, Maine Center for Economic Policy (MECEP), April 2014.
5 “Recent Maine History” boxes provided by the Maine Equal Justice Partners
6 The Baltimore Sun, “Tax credits for working families” (editorial), March 4, 2014
7 Tax Policy and the Economy, Edited by Jeffrey Brown, chapter entitled “Effects of the Earned Income Tax Credit and Recent Reforms,”
Z Bruce D. Meyer, page 153, August 2010.
8 “A simple 1-2 punch to give working Mainers a raise” Joel Johnson, September 5 2014,
http://blog.mecep.org/2014/09/a-simple-1-2-punch-to-give-working-mainers-a-raise/
9 Calculations are for July of 2014, http://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/laus.html
10 http://www.heckmanequation.org/sites/default/files/Heckman%20Investing%20in%20Young%20Children.pdf
11 Child Care Aware of America, 2014, http://usa.childcareaware.org/sites/default/files/19000000_state_fact_sheets_2014_v04.pdf
12 Kids Count, the Anne B. Casey Foundation,
http://datacenter.kidscount.org/data/tables/109-children-under-age-6-in- family-based-childcare?loc=21&loct=2#detailed/2/21/false/18,14/any/435,436
13 http://www.pressherald.com/2014/02/02/quality_child_care_tough_to_find_everywhere__more_challenging_in_maine_/
14 Portland Press Herald, “Quality Child Care Tough To Find Anywhere, More Challenging in Maine,” February 2 m2014,
http://www.pressherald.com/2014/02/02/quality_child_care_tough_to_find_everywhere__more_challenging_in_maine_/
15 http://www.clasp.org/resources-and-publications/publication-1/Nontraditional-Students-Facts-2011.pdf
16 Several quasi-experimental studies have shown this linkage. K. Magnuson, H. Sexton, P. Davis-Kean, and A. Huston, “Increases in Maternal Education
and Young Children’s Language Skills,” Merrill-Palmer Quarterly, Vol. 55, No. 3, July 2009, http://muse.jhu.edu/login?uri=/journals/merrill-palmer_quarterly/
v055/55.3.magnuson.pdf and K. Magnuson, “Maternal Education and Children’s Academic Achievement During Middle Childhood,” Developmental Psychology,
Vol. 43, No.
17“A Summary of Research on Head Start’s Impact,” Maine Children’s Alliance, 2013.
http://www.mekids.org/assets/files/headstart/Head%20Start%20Talking%20Points.pdf
18 General Assistance Work Group Report, 2013.
See http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/reports/general-assistance-work-group-report.pdf
19 David U. Himmelstein, MD, Deborah Thorne, PhD, Elizabeth Warren, JD, Steffie Woolhandler, MD, MPH. “Medical Bankruptcy in the United States, 2007: Results
of a National Study.” American Journal of Medicine, 2009. http://www.pnhp.org/new_bankruptcy_study/Bankruptcy-2009.pdf.
20 http://www.irp.wisc.edu/publications/focus/pdfs/foc282f.pdf
21 Food Research and Action Center, September 3, 2014.
22 http://www.maine.gov/dhhs/ofi/reports/2014/geo-aug.pdf
23 http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/pd/18SNAPavg$PP.pdf
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